JP2017044994A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus that can achieve a sufficient reduction in installation area of the apparatus.SOLUTION: An electrical box 16 conventionally arranged vertically on the back side of an apparatus body 4 is arranged on top of a sheet ejection part 8 and horizontally below a scanner 6. The scanner 6 is provided removably with respect to the electrical box 16. The electrical box 16 has a configuration in which electrical components are included inside a box-like electrical housing. The electrical components include the scanner 6 and a controller substrate that operates an image forming apparatus, and the electrical housing is formed of a material that shields a radio wave. The conventional occupancy width w in an apparatus depth direction (arrow Y-direction) of the electrical box 16 can be eliminated, and thus a sufficient reduction in installation area of the apparatus can be achieved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

In recent years, the size of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile has been reduced. Among them, reduction of the installation area of the apparatus is desired. Especially for desktop machines, the needs are much higher than for medium and high speed machines.
In general, in an image forming apparatus, a drive source and the like are arranged on the back side of the apparatus opposite to the front side of the apparatus as the operation surface side, and the electrical box is arranged vertically.
There is known a technique for reducing the installation area (projection area in the height direction) of the apparatus by narrowing the width of the electric box in the depth direction of the apparatus, but the electric box is indispensable for operating the image forming apparatus. Because it is an element, there is a limit to reducing the size naturally.

In Patent Document 1, in an image forming apparatus of a type in which a space between an image forming unit and a scanner serving as an image reading unit located above is a paper discharge unit, an electrical component of the scanner is provided in a support unit below the scanner. A configuration is disclosed in which a part of the scanner is disposed and the occupied area of the support portion of the scanner is effectively used.
Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a CPU board and a power supply board are arranged in an area between an image reading unit and a paper discharge unit. In Patent Document 2, the paper discharge section is formed obliquely, and accordingly, the CPU board and the power supply board are individually arranged using a narrow space upstream in the paper discharge direction.

In Patent Documents 1 and 2, etc., by arranging a part of the electrical components in the region between the image reading unit and the paper discharge unit, the width of the electrical box arranged vertically on the rear side of the conventional apparatus is reduced. The installation area of the apparatus can be reduced.
However, since it is based on the idea that a part of the electrical component is arranged using the empty space, it cannot be said that the installation area of the apparatus is sufficiently reduced.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus that can sufficiently reduce the installation area of the apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an apparatus main body, an image reading unit disposed at an upper part of the apparatus main body, a sheet discharge unit disposed at a lower part of the image reading unit, An electrical box disposed above the sheet discharge unit and below the image reading unit, and the electrical box has a configuration in which electrical components are built inside a box-shaped electrical housing, and is horizontally Has been placed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of sufficiently reducing the installation area of the apparatus.

1 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a perspective view showing a frame configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. In FIG. 2, it is the principal part perspective view of the state which removed the scanner. It is a top view which shows the electrical equipment incorporated in the electrical equipment box. It is the perspective view which looked at the electrical equipment box from the bottom. It is the perspective view which looked at the scanner from the lower side. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the structure of an image formation part. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an image forming unit in an image forming apparatus capable of forming a color image. It is a general | schematic perspective view which shows the arrangement configuration of the electrical equipment box in the conventional image forming apparatus.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, before describing the configuration of the present embodiment, the arrangement configuration of a conventional electrical box will be specifically described. In the electrical box, a plurality of substrates for controlling various electric / electronic components such as motors, solenoids, and sensors built in the image forming apparatus are accommodated and fixed with screws or the like.
A drive unit consisting of a motor and gear box for controlling and driving the rollers and belts that make up the component layout of the paper feeding and conveying system and the image forming process system is provided on the rear side in the depth direction of the device. It has a built-in configuration.

As shown in FIG. 9, the electrical box 82 is arranged vertically on the apparatus back side opposite to the apparatus front face 80 as the operation surface side from the viewpoint of assembly and maintenance. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 84 denotes a scanner, 86 denotes a paper discharge unit, and S denotes a width in the depth direction of the apparatus main body.
The depth of the device increases as the drive unit and the electrical box come to the back of the drive unit, and the installation area of the device increases accordingly.
In order to reduce the installation area of the apparatus by reducing the width w of the electrical box 82 in the depth direction of the apparatus, the electrical box is an indispensable element for operating the image forming apparatus as described above. For this reason, there is a natural limit to downsizing.

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a copying machine as an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The copying machine 2 is provided with an apparatus main body 4, a scanner 6 serving as an image reading unit disposed above the apparatus main body 4, and disposed above the apparatus main body 4 and below the scanner 6 for image forming processing. A sheet discharge section 8 for discharging the discharged sheets. The sheet discharge unit 8 functions as a discharge tray.
Below the sheet discharge unit 8, an image forming unit 10 and a paper feed cassette 12 detachably attached to the apparatus main body 4 are arranged. An ADF (automatic document feeder) 14 is disposed above the scanner 6.

  The copier 2 also has a role as a printer that receives print data from a PC terminal and prints it by the image forming unit 10. Further, a FAX function may be provided.

  The image forming unit 10 has a known configuration for image formation. A specific configuration of the image forming unit 10 will be described later.

In FIG. 1, an arrow X direction indicates a width direction viewed from the operation surface (front surface) side of the apparatus, an arrow Y direction indicates a depth direction of the apparatus, and an arrow Z direction indicates a height direction of the apparatus.
An electrical box 16 is disposed horizontally (including a substantially horizontal concept) above the sheet discharge unit 8 and below the scanner 6. The electrical box 16 is actually accommodated in the electrical box storage part and cannot be visually recognized from the outside.
By arranging the electrical box 16 horizontally below the scanner 6, the width w in the depth direction can be eliminated as compared with the case where the electrical box 16 is arranged on the back side of the apparatus, thereby reducing the installation area of the apparatus. Can be made larger than in the past.
That is, since the entire electrical box in which the electrical components are incorporated in a lump is arranged within the projected area in the height direction of the apparatus main body instead of a part of the electrical components as in Patent Document 1, the installation of the apparatus The reduction in area can be increased.

Although the size in the height direction (arrow Z direction) of the device increases by the height of the electrical box 16, it is an increase in the height in the horizontal state, so the appearance is poor and the operability is reduced. Has little effect.
In addition, it has been unavoidable that the center of gravity of the device is biased because the electrical equipment is mounted on the back side of the device in the past, but the horizontal arrangement configuration of the electrical box 16 in the present embodiment also has the effect of correcting the eccentric gravity center. Yes.

FIG. 2 shows a frame structure in which the internal elements of the copying machine 2 are omitted. The copying machine 2 has a front plate 18 that faces the operator when the apparatus is used, and a rear plate 20 that is located on the opposite side of the front plate 18. As shown in FIG. 3, the electrical box 16 has a configuration in which electrical components and the like indicated by reference numerals 24 and 26 are built in a box-shaped electrical housing 22.
The electrical component includes a controller board that operates the scanner 6 and the image forming apparatus, and the electrical housing 22 is made of a sheet metal material that shields radio waves emitted from the controller board and the like. Thereby, the bad influence by the electromagnetic wave with respect to the scanner 6 grade | etc., Can be suppressed.
The electrical housing 22 is connected so as to straddle the front side plate 18 and the rear side plate 20. As a result, the electrical box 16 and the apparatus frame are integrated, and the rigidity of the apparatus frame itself is improved.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a standard substrate configuration (electrical component) in the electrical box 16. When the options are not attached, at least the controller board CTL 24 and the image forming unit control board BiCU 26 are attached. Since these substrates generate radio waves when the apparatus is in operation, they need to be placed in a box made of sheet metal.
In addition, several substrates are optionally attached to the CTL 24 and the BiCU 26.

  FIG. 4B shows a state where the option board is attached. An FCU 28 and an HDD 30 that are FAX boards are attached to the CTL 24, and an ICIB 32 that is an unauthorized copy guard board and an MKB 34 that is an accounting interface board are attached to the BiCU 26 according to necessary functions.

A substrate having an element such as a semiconductor incorporated in an electrical box such as the CTL 24 or BiCU 26 is vulnerable to heat. In the present embodiment, since the electrical box 16 is disposed above the sheet discharge unit 8, the sheet discharge unit 8 becomes a heat insulating space against heat from a fixing device (described later) that is the highest temperature in the image forming unit 10. .
Since the electrical box 16 is separated upward from the image forming unit 10 via the sheet discharge unit 8 serving as a heat insulating space, heat transfer from the image forming unit 10 to the electrical box 16 can be suppressed.
On the other hand, the electrical box 16 side and the image forming unit 10 side are partially connected, so that heat generated in the image forming unit 10 can be prevented from being partially transferred to the electrical box 16 through the connected part. Absent.
In the present embodiment, measures against this are also taken.

FIG. 5 is a view of the electrical box 16 as viewed from below. When the electrical box 16 is on the sheet discharge unit 8, heat generated in the fixing device and heat of the paper discharged to the sheet discharge unit 8 after passing the paper are transmitted to the electrical box.
Therefore, in this embodiment, the heat insulation member which interrupts | blocks heat is arrange | positioned under the electrical equipment box. Specifically, the heat insulating sheet 36 is attached to the bottom surface 16 a of the electrical box 16.

  Further, a heat exhaust duct 38 for releasing heat transmitted from the image forming unit 10 to the outside of the apparatus is installed on the bottom surface of the electrical box 16. The heat exhaust duct 38 not only releases the heat transmitted from the image forming unit 10 to the outside of the apparatus, but also has the role of insulating the heat generated from the paper after passing through, like the heat insulating sheet 36.

As shown in FIG. 3, the scanner 6 is detachably attached to the electrical box 16. When a board built in the electrical box 16 breaks down, it is necessary to remove the failed board, repair it, or replace it if necessary.
In order to attach the option board, it is necessary to access the inside of the electrical box 16. For this reason, the scanner 6 can be removed to facilitate access to the electrical box 16.

FIG. 6 is a view of the scanner 6 as viewed from below. A leg portion 6 b that protrudes toward the electrical box 16 is attached to the bottom surface 6 a of the scanner 6. It is necessary to remove the scanner 6 at the time of maintenance of the substrate in the electrical box 16, and the leg 6b is attached to temporarily place the scanner 6 on a mounting surface such as a table.
When the leg portion 6b comes into contact with the placement surface, the scanner 6 can be stably placed when the scanner 6 is removed, and the scanner 6 is prevented from being damaged. The material of the leg portion 6b attached to the scanner 6 is an elastic member such as rubber or a mold member.

The leg portion 6b may be integrally formed by drawing the sheet metal member constituting the bottom surface of the scanner 6 without adding the rubber leg portion 6b. Even when the scanner body is made of a mold member, the legs can be formed integrally as in the case where the scanner body is made of sheet metal.
When the scanner 6 is placed on the upper surface of the electrical box 16, the leg 6 b provided in the scanner 6 is accommodated inside the electrical box 16, that is, in the electrical housing 22. 6 does not interfere with the adhesion.
In other words, the internal space of the electrical housing 22 is used as a housing space for the leg portion 6b of the scanner 6, and the scanner 6 can be provided with a legless space that corresponds to the protruding leg portion. Can be attached.

The configuration of the image forming unit 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
The image forming unit 10 is provided with a photosensitive drum 40 as an image carrier. The surface of the photosensitive drum 40 is uniformly charged by the charging unit 41, and an electrostatic latent image is formed based on the image information by the exposure unit 42. The electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image by the developing device 43.
The toner image formed on the photoconductive drum 40 is a recording medium that is fed from the paper feed cassette 12 by a paper feed roller 45 and conveyed to a transfer unit at a predetermined timing by a pair of registration rollers 46, and onto a paper P as a sheet. Transfer is performed by the transfer means 47.

The toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 40 after the transfer is removed by the cleaning unit 48. The sheet P on which the toner image has been transferred is fixed on the toner image by a fixing device 49 having, for example, a fixing roller 49 a having a heat source and a pressure roller 49 b, and is discharged to the sheet discharge unit 8 by a discharge roller pair 50.
When images are to be formed on both sides of the paper P, the paper P is put into the surface transport path 51 with the rear end of both papers as the leading edge by the reverse rotation of the pair of paper discharge rollers 50, transported by the transport roller 52, and then registered. A pair of rollers 46 is conveyed to the transfer unit at a predetermined timing.
In FIG. 7, reference numeral 53 denotes an openable / closable manual feed tray, and 44 denotes a toner bottle as a toner replenishing means for replenishing toner to the developing device 43.

In the present embodiment, a monochrome (single color) machine has been described. However, the present invention can also be implemented in a color image forming apparatus as shown in FIG.
The image forming unit 10 in the color configuration has a so-called tandem configuration in which four image forming units (process cartridges) having photosensitive drums 60Y, 60C, 60M, and 60K as image carriers are juxtaposed. Y means yellow, C means cyan, M means magenta, and K means black.
An intermediate transfer unit 62 having an endless belt-like intermediate transfer belt 61 as an intermediate transfer member is disposed facing the photosensitive drum of each image forming unit.
The intermediate transfer belt 61 is rotatably wound around a plurality of support rollers 63, 64, 65, 66.

When the support roller 63 is driven in the counterclockwise direction as a drive roller, the intermediate transfer belt 61 is rotationally driven in the arrow L direction.
Reference numeral 67 denotes a tension roller that presses against the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 61 and applies tension to the intermediate transfer belt 61.
The photosensitive drums 60Y, 60C, 60M, and 60K are rotated in the clockwise direction while being in contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 61, respectively.
The first photosensitive drum 60Y located at the uppermost stream is charged to a predetermined polarity by a charging roller 68, and the charged surface is irradiated with a light-modulated laser beam emitted from an optical writing unit 69 as exposure means. The
As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the first photosensitive drum 60Y, and this electrostatic latent image is visualized as a yellow toner image by the developing device.
A transfer voltage is applied to the primary transfer roller 71, whereby the toner image on the photosensitive drum 60Y is primarily transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 61 that is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow L.
The transfer residual toner adhering to the photosensitive drum 60Y after the toner image transfer is removed by the cleaning device 72.

In the same manner as described above, a cyan toner image, a magenta toner image, and a black toner image are respectively formed on the second to fourth photosensitive drums 60C, 60M, and 60K, and each toner image is transferred to the middle of the yellow toner image. The toner images are sequentially transferred onto the transfer belt 61, and four color toner images are carried on the intermediate transfer belt 61.
A paper feeding cassette 12 as a paper feeding device is disposed below the apparatus main body 4, and the paper P delivered from the paper feeding cassette 12 is conveyed toward the secondary transfer unit at a predetermined timing by the rotation of the registration roller pair. Is done.
A portion between the portion of the intermediate transfer belt 61 supported by the support roller 63 and the secondary transfer roller 73 disposed so as to be opposed thereto is a secondary transfer portion.
A transfer voltage is applied to the secondary transfer roller 73, whereby the superimposed toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 61 are collectively transferred onto the paper P.
The secondary transfer roller 73 is pressed against the support roller 63 via the intermediate transfer belt 61 and is driven to rotate counterclockwise while being in contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 61.

The paper P to which the toner image has been transferred is sent to the fixing device 74 where the toner image is fixed on the paper P by the action of heat and pressure.
The paper P exiting the fixing device 74 is discharged to the sheet discharge unit 8 by the discharge roller pair 75 and stacked.
In FIG. 8, reference numeral 76 indicates a toner bottle for supplying toner to the developing device 70.
On the intermediate transfer belt 61 after the secondary transfer, the toner that could not be transferred remains. In order to clean the residual toner, the intermediate transfer unit 62 is provided with a belt cleaning device 77.

  Here, the configuration of the tandem type intermediate transfer system is exemplified as the image forming apparatus. However, the image forming apparatus is similarly implemented in a tandem type direct transfer system and a system in which a plurality of developing units are arranged around one photosensitive drum. Can do.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and unless specifically limited by the above description, the present invention described in the claims is not limited. Various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist.
The effects described in the embodiments of the present invention are merely examples of the most preferable effects resulting from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention. is not.

4 Device Main Body 6 Scanner as Image Reading Unit 6b Leg 8 Sheet Ejecting Unit 16 Electrical Box 16a Bottom 18 Front Side Plate 20 Rear Side Plate 22 Electrical Housing 24 Controller Board as Electrical Component 26 Image Forming Unit Control Board as Electrical Component 36 Thermal insulation sheet as a thermal insulation member 38 Waste heat duct

JP 2006-349849 A JP 2003-146522 A

Claims (9)

The device body;
An image reading unit disposed in an upper part of the apparatus main body;
A sheet discharge unit disposed at a lower portion of the image reading unit;
An electrical box disposed above the sheet discharge unit and below the image reading unit;
With
The electrical equipment box is an image forming apparatus having a configuration in which electrical equipment is built in a box-shaped electrical equipment housing and arranged horizontally. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The electrical component includes a controller board that operates the image reading unit and the image forming apparatus, and the electrical casing is made of a material that shields radio waves. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The device body includes a front plate facing the operator when the device is used, and a rear plate positioned on the opposite side of the front plate, and the electrical housing is connected to straddle the front plate and the rear plate. Image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An image forming apparatus comprising a heat insulating member on a bottom surface of the electrical housing. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.
An image forming apparatus, wherein the heat insulating member is a heat exhaust duct that releases heat generated in the apparatus to the outside. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the image reading unit is detachably attached to the electrical box. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6.
An image forming apparatus, wherein a leg portion is provided on the bottom surface of the image reading portion so as to protrude from the bottom surface toward the electrical box. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7.
An image forming apparatus in which the leg portion is formed integrally with the image reading portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 or 8,
When the image reading unit is placed on the upper surface of the electrical box, the leg portion is housed inside the electrical box.

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